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Tag: house building

Time is running out for construction as private sector new orders run thin

Time is running out for construction as private sector new orders run thin

The latest new orders figures from ONS once digested will inevitably leave the construction industry feeling hungry and wondering where its next meal is coming from. Some will note the quarter-on-quarter rise of 0.2% and the 11.1% rise in the second quarter compared with the same time last year and foolishly suggest this represents improvement. They would be wrong. If you ignore the public sector data (which bounced up slightly in the quarter), the direction of orders was distinctly down quarter…

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Whatever the spin, whatever the weather, the housing market news looks to be getting worse

Whatever the spin, whatever the weather, the housing market news looks to be getting worse

One thing guaranteed to pull the trigger for even a half-awake journalist is an upbeat spin put on what looks like really duff news. The normal reaction is: “God, things must be bad.” So the “Wet weather fails to deter buyers” headline on the press release for the RICS Housing Market Survey immediately had me worried.

Output data suggest it’s past time for the Government to act decisively to boost construction

Output data suggest it’s past time for the Government to act decisively to boost construction

There will be some people expelling phews of relief at seeing construction output for the second quarter revised up by the Office for National Statistics from a dramatic drop of 5.2% to a less frightful fall of 3.9%. Certainly this will have the effect, all other things being equal, of lifting the rather shocking GDP drop of 0.7% by 0.1% or so. Not much, but a little.

Forecasters see longer deeper double dip for construction

Forecasters see longer deeper double dip for construction

The latest batch of industry forecasts are emerging and they show construction locked in a deeper recession than previous expected. The recovery now looks further away. Top graph shows how the industry appears to be facing a pretty deep and protracted second recession.

Renovation and green agenda support weak construction activity across Europe

Renovation and green agenda support weak construction activity across Europe

The Euroconstruct conference held earlier this month in London provided lashings of gloom, but it also provided plenty of food for thought. The twice-yearly conference brings together the thoughts and expectations of construction economic research groups covering 19 European countries. I have not been for many years and forgot how useful it was to look at the similarities and differences between countries. Even if you are not that interested in other European construction markets, seeing how they are performing helps…

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